The present invention relates to remote controls, and, more particularly, to remote controls for commanding audio/visual type components such as television sets ("TVs"), video cassette recorders ("VCRs"), stereo receivers, compact disc ("CD") players, etc.
Various remote control devices have existed in the past. Some remote control devices, such as for a garage door, may consist of a single button which generates a single command signal.
Other remote control devices, such as those used for components such as TVs, VCRs, television cable boxes, stereo receivers, CD players, cassette tape players and other audio or visual equipment often have numerous buttons and generate numerous commands. For instance, TV, VCR and cable box remote controls may include channel up and channel down buttons, a return channel button, volume up and down buttons, a mute button, and numerical buttons 1 through 0. VCR and cassette tape player remote controls often include buttons such as play, stop, pause, fast forward, rewind, and record. Remote controls for all types of components include a power button to activate the component. Numerous other buttons may be included to control particular features of the component being driven.
Modern remote control structures generally operate based on the emission and reception of non-visible electromagnetic radiation, such as radio waves or infrared light. When a button on the remote is pressed, an emitter in the remote sends a command signal associated with the button pressed. Components controlled by remotes include an electromagnetic sensor for detecting electromagnetic radiation of the type emitted by the remote. The electromagnetic radiation received by the sensor is typically transformed into a corresponding electrical signal, which is filtered and scanned for command signals emitted by the remote. Switching in the component is completed based on the sensed command signal, such that the button pressed on the remote control operates as if it were pressed on the component itself.
"Universal" remote control devices have also existed for some time. A "universal" remote can command any of a number of different components. For instance, a single universal remote may be able to command two or more of the TV, the VCR, the cable box, the stereo receiver, and the CD player. Additionally, a single universal remote may be able to command any of several different manufacturer's components and/or any of several different models of components manufactured by a single manufacturer.
Various audio playback devices have existed in the past, and some previous remote controls have included audio features. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,482 discloses a remote control for a garage door opener which has an audio transducer connected in parallel with the emitter to produce a buzzer tone when the button on the remote control is pressed.
Many types of electronic devices other than audio/visual component remote controls have previously existed with numerical buttons 1 through 0 for inputting information. Some of these electronic devices have audio voiced or talking features associated within their numerical buttons. For instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,573,134 and 4,700,377 each disclose an electronic device which voices a number (i.e., stating "one") to indicate the numeric button ("1") pressed.